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Move to rid Constitution of sexist language

A Parliamentary committee report, presented in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, has recommended that all new legislation be drafted using nonsexist language.

As of now various orders, rules, regulations and bylaws reveal instances of sexism, it pointed out.

Committee on Subordinate Legislation chairman M A Baby said he realises that it would be a stupendous task to make comprehensive amendments in the Constitution to replace sexist words and expressions with neutral ones. But, the law ministry should undertake the exercise of proposing amendments in those chapters of the Constitution dealing with fundamental rights, civil liberties, directive principles of state policy, provisions relating to the President of India, speaker, Lok Sabha deputy chairman and the Rajya Sabha, to rid them of their masculine orientations.

He said section 13 of the General Clauses Act should be amended immediately in line with the Interpretation Act, 1978, of England.

The committee realises that there would be many difficulties and technical problems, especially when translating the laws and orders in Hindi and other official languages, but those challenges would have to be accepted, so that gender disparity can be done away with.

UNI

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